Fire in vacant Trenton home began after vagrants smoked inside, police say

Trenton Fire Department crews on scene of a fire in an abandoned row home on Ellsworth Avenue in Trenton's West Ward Saturday evening. Jon Offredo/The Times

TRENTON — A vacant West Ward home nearly destroyed by fire last July burned again Sunday afternoon after vagrants smoked inside, police said today.

Firefighters were called out to the first block of Ellsworth Avenue around 5:10 p.m., where they found flames inside one home and spreading into the building next door. A residence on the other side of the home from where the blaze began suffered smoke damage on the third floor, Battalion Chief Ron Kosztyu said.

Four people were inside the home that suffered smoke damage, but all were able to get out without any injury, Kosztyu said. The remaining two residences were vacant.

The first-alarm fire was upgraded with an extra engine and ladder company to an all-hands assignment, and was brought under control by 5:50 p.m.

Fire marshals determined the blaze began with a carelessly discarded cigarette left by a transient.

According to police, a previous fire on July 1, 2012 was also investigated and may have been caused by vagrants as well. No charges have been filed.